i mean it does make sense...
replace the only south defection with another south team and then replace the three north defections with three north teams. mu, cu and neb for louisville, wvu and somebody else doesn't seem that bad.
If you add WVU/Cincy/Louisville, you basically get a foothold in the Ohio Valley. The three largest cities in the area are Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and Louisivlle with a combined population of 6 million. That does not include the population of West Virginia (1.9 million) or any of the other surrounding areas.
Losing Missouri hurts, but we can pick up the entire Ohio Valley in exchange and get back to ten in a geographically non-horrible way.
Plus, the basketball gets way, way better.